The Moonlight Rose
by NadeshikoLove1224
Summary: After the Winx acquired the Harmonix ability, with the Specialists, they take a side mission to the mountains to aid an old friend from his Full Moon curse. The Trix's involvement and accident that all the groups were not able to control, one of the Specialists rapidly becomes a Werewolf. Now the Winx have to save Karel and their friend before they are forever locked in that form.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: Before I continue with the story, here are a couple of things you should be aware of:_

_It is based on of Winx Club comics Issue 13: Moonlight. I highly recommend you read it for reference before you read the fan-fiction if you haven't done so._

_I was inspired by Floral Thunder's Foolish; Keep up with the great fanfic._

_This is set during season five. The Winx girls already have their Harmonix, not yet Sirenix._

_Because of the time-frame of the fanfic, it may not link up with the series of events in Winx Club: Beyond Believix._

_Because of the Comic reference, this is a Flora+Helia fan-fiction. _

_This is a Halloween theme fan-fiction. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Winx club, Winx club comics or any of the characters within the fan-fiction. This fanfic and the chapters within it are with the respects of the creators of the series and all characters within the fanfic belong to the creators. _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Inside the depths of Magix's forest, a small bank existed within the massive woodland. Containing the rabbits, snakes and other various creatures that lived there were three young women. For some time, they used the dwelling as a base-of-operations as well as some form of shelter. These young women were better known as the Trix; a sinister team of females that unsuccessfully attempted to take over the universe up to three times. Other than going after the Winx or finding more pollutants for their new master, Tirtannus, they spent their days at the bank waiting for his commands. A distance from the area were two out of the three Trix, Stormy and Darcy. Darcy combed her hair with her fingers while Stormy zapped away at ill-fated bugs. Darcy rolled her eyes when she observed Stormy's excitement, "Wow Stormy, that's mature."

"Shut up," The Storm Witch fired at Darcy. She was concentrating on scorching a green caterpillar to a crisp with one thunder bolt. When her job was successful she jumped, "Got it!"

"Yay, now you can eat it!" Darcy smugly said. Stormy glared at her. "By the way, where's Icy?"

Stormy shrugged her shoulders. She obviously didn't know where her eldest sister was and now she didn't care. She paid more attention to found a new target, a white butterfly. "Find her yourself! I'm not your maid!"

Darcy sucked her teeth. She left Stormy and strolled back to the headquarters. She paused halfway when she saw Icy leaning over the water muttering something and giggling. Behind Icy's muttering, she also heard Tritannus's voice. _What a loser, _Darcy believed when she scrutinized Icy's lovey-dovey face from afar.

Stormy returned to the bank after her best efforts to exterminate the agile butterfly failed. She stood next to Darcy, "What are you looking at?" She whispered directly in Darcy's ear.

Darcy jumped. Other than her tickle problem, she also got shaken up occasionally from people sneaking up on her. Well, not as bad as Stormy, "Are you blind? Icy, of course," She whispered back.

Stormy could never fathom just how Icy could be attracted to Tritannus. In his normal form, his appearance was pretty decent except the merman tail. When he became monster Tritannus, Stormy thought of methods to cook the horrid fish, maybe in sushi or stir fried form. Another thought that on her mind was that how come Icy and Darcy had a love interest. They all shared Valtor and Darkar, but Darcy had lame Riven for a while and now Icy has Tritannus. "That's strange." She thought out loud. "How come you and Icy had a 'boyfriend' and I never got one!?"

"Stormy," Darcy's tone was both gentle and sarcastic, "it's because you're ugly."

Stormy snatched at her Darcy's blond hairs, "Says the one with the fairy hairdo."

"OH STOP!" Icy said, but not to her sisters. She was still chitchatting to Tritannus on the other end. "You're so adorable!"

"YOU'RE SO ADORABLE!" Darcy and Stormy bawled in unison.

Icy looked up at her sisters in fury and embarrassment, "Privacy, much!?"

"We're bored." Stormy marched over to the lake to speak to Tritannus. "I need some action! Let's do something!"

"Tannus told us to wait it out, moron," Darcy and Stormy stood surprised at their sister's pet name for their new master. Icy continued,"we can't do anything until we are told."

Darcy crossed her arms, "Can we see what those losers are doing?" By "losers", Darcy meant the Winx. Since the Trix's taste of the Winx Harmonix powers, Tritannus ordered them to stay put and to wait for his command. Darcy's hands filled with obscure energy before she casted the power in the lake near the message reflection of Tritannus. "It doesn't hurt to at least find out what they're up to." She sinisterly added.

* * *

The Winx were on a roll. Since they acquired their Harmonix abilities, they were more adept to battle against the Trix and able to stop the harsh pollutions that destroy the ocean wildlife. Of course they needed their Sirenix and still had to complete the trials of Sirenix, but for several reasons they decided to take a side mission. Tecna and Timmy had set up tracking devices over on Earth and Magix so the Winx would always be ready for an environmental distress. Tecna checked over her PDA, "Okay; so far no problems connected to pollutions." Tecna placed the PDA cautiously in her knapsack. "Maybe we can get this side mission finished early before the Trix and Tritannus start anymore trouble and fast so we can get back to the Sirenix trails.

The Winx really needed to take a break. With Sky's memory loss, Flora's worry about Helia, Tecna's memories on her cyborg curse and the underwater dilemmas, the Winx were stressed more than they had even been. The side mission chosen by Flora correlated with her situation with Helia, but she had good intentions: she wanted to repay a good friend from the past. After finding herself more adept and strong to fight, she gave the idea to aid Karel* from his moonlight curse to her friends. Flora, Bloom, Timmy, Sky and Tecna met him years ago in a nearly barricaded home close to Crystal Lake. After running away from vivacious wolves and taking refuge at his home, she used a liquefied moonlight as a light source in his dark home and unknowingly changed him into a werewolf.

The Winx girls got back to Alfea after their current underwater adventure. With the Specialists on call and spells & potions ready, the Winx were prepared for the mission; but more than anyone was Flora. During the Winx second attempt to find the Sirenix book, a heavy book that fell on Flora during Tecna's cyborg control got her attention, "The Moonlit Revise." Inside were told the stories about creatures that were controlled by the Full moon, more specifically Werewolves. She had looked for a book that could probably break or control his curse in the past, but she was not initially surprised that she would find it in the Alfea Archives instead of the Aflea General Library. When it came time to the side-mission of choice, she brought up an old quest and a test of the Harmonix magic to the Winx.

The girls got their last belongings and supplies packed. Stella made sure the girls were fashionably ready for the side-mission. With a quick spell, the girls' outfits changed to more appropriate hiking clothing with their personal color scheme. With the Winx, the Specialists with the exception of Sky were present for the trip. Aisha slicked her wavy hair into a long high ponytail, "So how did you guys know about this Karel guy?" She said to her best friend.

"I knew him years ago, "Flora answered, "He protected me in the past and I want to return the favor."

A couple of feet away from Flora was Helia. Since Sky's memory loss, Flora hadn't seen her boyfriend. Sure, the Sirenix powers were her top priority, but she had to see Helia sometimes too. With the Krystal situation, she recalled Helia calling Flora his "friend" instead of "girlfriend"**. Flora had no reason to be mad a Krystal, nor be mad that Helia and Krystal knew each other since their childhood, but being demoted from her status made her less confident about their relationship. Helia was drawing on his sketchbook when Flora glanced over at him. _I wonder what he's drawing... _Flora thought.

Stella tapped Bloom on her shoulder, "So where's Sky? Don't tell me he's with the Ick?"

"I decided... he should learn more about his childhood with Diaspro." Stella's eyes widen at Bloom's response. "I don't trust Diaspro, but I know Sky doesn't have any feelings for her. I trust him...and I know he wouldn't do anything like that."

The Nature fairy was surprised for Bloom's response. _Maybe...I should trust Helia. _Flora gently smiled.

"Okay, the last configurations on the machine are ready. We can board as soon as your guy are ready." The Winx girls started directly at Timmy. "Is there something wrong?"

"We can teleport there," Musa said. "It's better for the environment. Remember when were when there before? We can get directly to the forest without making a pit-stop at Darkstone village.***"

Timmy looked dumbfounded. "I forgot…" He glanced at the Red Fountain hovercraft. "It's a shame we can't use the Owl and with the new updates I made…"

"Let's try for once to be more environmentally adapt, Timmy," Tecna smiled weakly at her boyfriend. "The only tech on me is my PDA and we need it for the pollution reports."

"Tech is your passion, Tecna!" Stella meddled. "Hello? 'Fairy of technology?' You can't abandon that."

Tecna gave Stella a death-glare. Stella was right; Tecna was everything tech. She slept and breathed it, but ever since her robotic curse incident Tecna started to pull away from her beloved gadgets. Unfortunately, she started to pull away from Timmy. Stella flinched at Tecna's glare. "Stella," Tecna stated, "let's just get ready…"

The Winx and Specialists got in a circle. They locked into each other hands and with a strong frequency of magic created a barrier and teleported from the grounds of Alfea. Flora took a last glance on Aflea grounds at a Helia who was looking elsewhere with a smile as the Winx and Specialists were locked in focus. Flora frowned when she saw Helia glancing over at a happy and waving Krystal, giving luck to him on the mission.

* * *

*: Karel was the male character introduced in Winx Comics volume 16. He lived in the woodlands not too far from Crystal Lake by himself. Flora accidentally changed him into a Werewolf after she exposed him to purified moonlight water.

**: In season five episode three, Return to Alfea, Helia introduces Flora as his "Friend" instead of "Girlfriend" to Krystal

***: In the Winx Club comic volume 13, the pollution from the Hovership/Carrier that the Specialists used could contaminate the water and life surrounding Crystal Lake. Since the girls were shown teleporting to Earth in the episode "The Lilo" and teleporting seem to be more often used within season five instead of using machines, it seems probable to use a teleporting method instead of the hover-vehicle.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: __I don't usually have an Author's note for the second chapter, but I had a difficult time with editing this piece because of some weather problems in the hands of Mother Nature. Anyways, I promised chapters 2 and 3 and here they are...only in one chapter. The content in it was too short for both chapters so after merging them, detailing and editing here's the second chapter of The Moonlight Rose._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

The spell landed the Winx and Specialists in the middle of the dense woodlands. The early afternoon sun shined bright on the local plant life, giving them an emerald hue. A couple of deer were in the area, but ran away when they noticed the group's presence. Timmy took out his digital map. "Okay according to my map," Timmy analyzed. The map's screen started to shake, "What the…?" Static emitted from the device, and then it flared up. Timmy dropped it on the ground and stomped it to disperse the flames.

"Oh no," Musa said. "Tecna, can you check you map?"

Tecna glanced over at Musa, "I didn't bring it…" Tecna avoided her digital use again.

"Doesn't your PDA have a map?" Musa started to get worried about her best friend's low-tech problems.

Flora breathed in the fresh air. She missed how the mountain air felt years ago and how different it was from Magix and Gardenia's air. "It's okay. I think I could find where we are and Karel's place, but I'm going to need help from Musa." Flora held out her hand for the Music Fairy to grasp. As they interlock, a wave of sound and nature flowed out of the two fairies. The result of the convergence amplified Flora's Nature sense ability to spread it across the entire mountain. She released from Musa hands. "We are not too far from Crystal Lake, but we are some distance from Karel's cabin. If we start now, we can make it there by night fall."

The Winx and Specialists started their journey north of their location. With Musa and Stella, Timmy was also concerned about Tecna's technical problems. He knew about the incident that happened in the Alfea Archives, but heard it from Bloom instead of his girlfriend. He kept in contact with her for a few things like research and a few technical advice, but not at all for more stressing matters and during this side mission she stood her distance from Timmy. Timmy watched her from behind, trying his best to find something in Tecna's body language that could prove that something was troubling her.

Stella, Aisha and Flora walked together. "I wonder what Karel looks like..." Aisha said.

"I don't know what the guy looks like either," Stella said. She paused, "wait a sec...The lunar cycle; is it a half-moon or new moon or crescent moon or...full moon...?"

Aisha's eyebrow rose, "Stella, shouldn't you know about the lunar cycle? The Sirenix trails are all about it."

"Don't worry about that, guys," Flora said. She pulled out the Moonlit Revise from her knapsack. "This clearly explains the lunar transition from new moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter and back to new moon. By the look of the map, we are just transitioning to first quarter."

"I wonder why a book like that would be in Magix?" Bloom caught up to the three.

"Most our powers derive from the moon like Aisha's wave powers, Stella's sun powers and my nature powers. The moon even affects the strength and abilities of our magic, especially during the full moon. For some reason, the full moon always alters our powers somehow and the higher from ground level we get, the stranger our powers become no matter the phase of the moon."

"And that's the same for the Sirenix powers, since we have a lunar cycle* to become Sirenix Fairies." Bloom stated. "When you think about it, thirty days isn't a lot of time to complete the Sirenix trials when you have to wait for the riddle first."

Stella sighed, "I know it does seem like such a short time, but we can't just sit still and do nothing." Stella danced around her friends. "We need some 'us' time! A party or a dance or a dance party! This isn't particularly the fun I had in mind, but it really is a nice thing for you to help Karel, Flora."

"The first quarter is the best time to do this." Flora leafed through the book to find the lunar cycle images. "Somehow this lunar phase has something strongly to do with the werewolf cycle of change. If the plan works, Karel can remain human and never change back to a werewolf again."

"How come we can't use the last quarter instead of the first?" Aisha asked.

Flora closed the book, "We can...if you want Karel to permanently be a werewolf for the rest of his life. I hope we can get this done in a couple of days before our next Sirenix trial comes up."

Tecna wanted to comment somehow to Flora's research on the full moon. She grabbed her PDA, eagerly awaiting her search results but she frowned. "Calculation search results..." she whispered. Tecna the cyborg came back to mind and she quickly placed her PDA in her knapsack. Tecna sighed as the pocket holding her favorite gadget clicked shut. Now she could add the rest of the Winx to her unconsciously ignore list.

Timmy was fully aware of Tecna's actions. "Tecna, are you okay?"

Tecna turned to Timmy, "Yeah, I'm fine." She said.

"Is there something wrong with your PDA?" Timmy held his hand out for Tecna's device, "maybe I can check it out to see if it has any defects."

"Timmy, I'm fine!" Tecna shut Timmy down. Everyone had their attention locked on Tecna. She looked at Timmy, his expression screamed hurt. "I'm sorry, I'm just... I'm fine..." She changed the subject. "Like Flora said, we have to get going to reach the Karel's cabin before nightfall."

* * *

The Winx and Specialists reached Karel's cabin after sunset. They slowly walked to the home from the front entrance. Brandon noticed bar gates on the windows and an odd lock on the front door as well as a gentle red fire emitting from the window. Karel was home and by the look of the open windows, he was not concerned about his curse yet.

Flora took a step from the group and was the first to reach the front door. She gently knocked on the door. "Hello?" she said, "Karel? Is anyone home? It's me, Flora."

It didn't take to long for Karel to answer, "Flora?" He questioned through the door, "Is that really you?" When she answered back, Karel unlock the multitude of locks he installed to protect himself and the Darkstone villagers. As the door flung up open, he greeted Flora in a friendly embrace.

Something inside of Helia ticked. Like Aisha, he had no idea of Karel or of who he was since he knew his girlfriend after Karel and Flora met. His appearance alone took the Specialist by surprise: Karel had blue hair like Helia but wispy and shoulder length, shared the same facial shape and their body type were close but Helia was leaner than Karel who had a stronger physique. Aside from the appearance issues, the way how he hugged Flora and the way Flora accepted the hug surprised the calm Helia. He was not the type to get jealous; rather he was more open for Flora to speak to other guys. He trusted Flora that she wouldn't cheat on him, so he relaxed a notch that Karel was an old friend of Flora's like Krystal was an old friend of his.

"Helia, I would like you to meet Karel." Flora introduced.

Helia snapped out of his thought and proceeded to greet the mountain man. Helia looked at his girlfriend's facial expression filled with joy and delight. Maybe Helia had nothing to worry about, but he then thought back to his sketchbook.

"What brings you guys here?" Karel questioned.

Flora rushed to grab the text, "I have something in that could finally break the curse that you're under! I was hoping you can, you know, agree to my offer."

Karel's eyes narrowed, "Flora, I don't think it's possible."

"Please at least try. I really do have something that can help and if it doesn't...I'll leave you alone."

Karel was confused by Flora's offer. Breaking his curse was something he always thought of, but nothing he tried worked. Now a figure of his past gave him an offer he couldn't refuse and at the same time too good to be true. But he saw something in Flora's eyes, something that made him have to consider the Nature fairy's offer, "Okay." He said to Flora, then turned the rest of the group, "Come inside, you don't want to become wolves next dinner."

"Wolf Chow..." Brandon commented. "This could have been a very good time to invite Roxy."

Karel's home was warm and welcoming. He had a few simple furnishings, a gentle fire and couple of books and writing utensils. The wooden walls of his home still had markings from Flora's vines, but everything else remained the same. Musa could not help to explore around the small home while the others were getting the experiment ready. _It's so of romantic,_ she thought. As she took a glimpse of the moon still in its first quarter, she glanced at the window sill. A small pot of purest white roses bloomed within it, "Are these white roses? How come they are able to bloom at night?" She said as she examined the unusual flowers.

Flora glanced at Musa, "If they bloom at night, then those aren't white roses. White roses and most other flowers need sunlight to open."

"These are a rare type of flowers that are only wake during the night and dormant during the rest of the day. It uses moonlight to go through the stages of Photosynthesis** and because of that, they reach their peak during the full moon." Karel took the roses from the sill and showed them to Flora. "They are purest white down even to the stem and leaves. They also have a reflective glow."

"Karel," Bloom started, "wouldn't it be dangerous if you have those in your house since they use moonlight as an energy source?"

"Oddly enough it doesn't affect my changes. My mother use to collect them when I was young. A few weeks ago, I ran into them growing by Crystal Lake."

Flora examined the flowers, then the book. "Guys, I think this is the first ingredient for the potion. Tecna, can you use your PDA to find where a lot of these are?"

Tecna hesitated. Still examining her body language, Timmy pulled out his device fast, "Don't worry, I'll scan the mountains for more of those roses. I should get the information in a couple of minutes."

"Let's get then before that device combust!" Riven smugly said to his techkie friend. He stretched his arms. "Gosh, I'm bored."

"You know your attitude doesn't help, Riven!" Musa glared at her boyfriend. He grunted and crossed his arms.

"Got it!" Timmy read out his analysis to the group. "It's a distance from this area on the taller mountain ranges in the area. My scan also indicates a high activity of local predators, some wild dogs and the others are wolves."

Karel shook his head, "That area is too dangerous for you guys to go alone." Karel grabbed an axe from his closet. "I'll guide you there. I'm familiar with the site."

"But some of us have to stay here when we get back." Bloom added. "Tecna, Helia and Riven should stay while the rest of us get the ingredients. In the meantime, you three can get the rest of the items ready for the spell together."

* * *

*: The lunar cycle is a month's long period-about 30 days-where the moon orbits the earth. Through the thirty-day period, the moon transitions from New moon, Waxing Crescent moon, First quarter (Half-moon), Waxing Gibbous, Full moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter (Half-moon), Waning Crescent moon and back to New moon. Winx Club: Beyond Believix latest transformation, Sirenix follows the lunar cycle in terms of how long the Sirenix Trials are open until the Winx are not able to become Sirenix Fairies.

**: Photosynthesis is the process plants have to convert water and carbon dioxide using sunlight and Chlorophyll into food and oxygen. Plants use the mixture of carbon dioxide (what people and animals breathe out), water (otherwise known as Hydrogen Dioxide) powered by sunlight and chlorophyll (natural agent in plants that gives it its green leaf color) to create oxygen, water and glucose (plant food.) In this fanfic the rose found by Musa on Karel's window sill uses moonlight rays to conduct Photosynthesis. It's probable that the roses will reach their peak during a full moon and die off preceding the new moon.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's note: **__The updates on this story are slow, but I hope your guys enjoy. I want to thank everyone that liked and followed this story and had given me feedback so far. There isn't too much of a highlight of events just yet but after this chapter, the drama in this story __willincrease__. _

_I hope you guys enjoy._

* * *

Tecna felt uneasy. When Bloom told the group that everyone excluding Tecna, Helia and Riven would go to obtain the lunar roses, Tecna felt inadequate for the mission. She heaved a sigh and silently agreed to Bloom's orders while Helia and Riven nodded. Karel prepared his axe, knives and other small amenities. "The trip there and back will take up to day break. You guys must only pack the necessities and absolutely no food."

"No food?" Musa questioned.

"Wolves and other predators can smell that a mile away. We don't want to attract ourselves as a feast." Karel replied.

The group departed the cabin with Karel leading and Timmy the last one out. Tecna extended out for Timmy, kissed him lightly on the cheek and expressed to him good luck. "Thanks," Timmy uttered flatly.

Tecna's eyes sank and she unrestricted her touch. She fastened the wooden door behind him and sighed again as she sealed its locks. Riven skimmed at the glum Technology Fairy. "Are you and mainframe arguing?"

"We are not arguing!" She glared at Riven for blatantly insulting Timmy.

Riven begged to differ. He did not pay any attention to Tecna's action like the rest of the Winx and Timmy, but he knew when something was wrong by Tecna's constant sighing. At the moment, it had to do with Tecna and an insignificant curse triggered during the quest for the Sirenix book. Riven rotated his shoulders. "I dunno," he started, "It seems like whatever the problem is it has to deal with you not Timmy."

"That's enough, Riven," Helia said. Helia was closes to Timmy, who had told his artsy friend about the problems he had with Tenca since then. "Timmy had told me you had been distant from him since the 'accident.' He just wants to know how you're feeling like the rest of us, Tecna. You've been different since then and maybe talking to him can help."

Tecna acknowledged Helia's wisdom. Talking to Timmy about the incident could help Tecna to get out of her falling-out with technology and her relationship with her boyfriend. She craved the use for it at the moment and the rustic setting of the cabin turned her craving to an itch. She shook off her problems and proceeded to take out several vials and ingredients from the knapsacks. "Let's get started." She spoke.

* * *

Bloom, Stella, Musa, Flora, Aisha, Brandon and Timmy with Karel left the cabin site to the highlands where the lunar roses resided. The mountains during the night was loud, but not the same loud as Magix and Gardenia. While resonances of motors, synthetic equipment and people bounced the walls and pavement in those cities, the mountains were so silent that each sound made shadowed a sharp echoing effect. Each step, hand movement, cough, sigh, yawn the group made were all personified by the absolute silence of the mountains. The animals native to the night were also present not by sight, but through sound. A better name for the mountain lands during the night was Deafening Silence.

This state did not settle well with Karel. The predators of the night loved the Deafening Silence and used the out reached echoes to eavesdrop on their prey to pursue and attack them. The young man knew that when he became savage he would love the silence of the forests. He watched the moon which had a week and a half until it filled, then at the Nature Fairy beside him giving Karel a new hope.

Flora noticed Karel's gaze and smiled at him. "Um Karel," Flora started. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Go right ahead, Flora."

"Okay," Flora was anxious, which confused the mountain man. "What is the origin of your curse? Is it from lineage? Was it a curse passed from generations or are you the only one in your famliy that has this?"

Karel found out that Flora's nervousness was from such a touchy topic. The rest of the team was well attentive to their focus. "It," Karel started, "it's a family curse. Long ago, my great-grandfather was casted into an arrange marriage with someone he never loved. He ended up and cheated on his wife and his lover had his baby, my grandfather. My great grandfather's wife cursed him and his unborn child, changing the male descendants of his family into werewolves. He himself had never turned into a werewolf, but my grandfather and several of my uncles and cousins that bear the mark of the cursed became werewolves by their thirteen year. Oddly, my brothers didn't get the curse but I did. My family thought it was safe for me to move here, away from hurting anyone and myself."

"Could you infect other people?" Timmy asked while tracking down the location of the roses on his scanner.

"If I bite someone, they will become a werewolf and follow the same cycle of events that I do. They could also pass down the curse within their generation."

"That explains a lot why you stay in the mountains and away from most people." Bloom said.

"The cottage that I live in was my family's summer home when I was small. Now it's..."

"A prison..." Aisha completed Karel's thought. "It must have been terrible for you to say here because of something like that."

Karel looked at the wavy-haired girl. Something in her ocean eyes made him feel that she somewhat felt his pain, "Yes...but I do have good memories of this place."

"What about the Darkstone Villagers?" Stella plunged into the conversation. "The last time we came, they didn't like us going to the mountains during the full moon."

"The town's folk always have had a 'strange' character. They celebrated the night before a full moon, thought I never could understand why. Probably because wolves run ramped on the outskirts of the village, mostly during the full moon went the intensity of the moon over powers them. They are also scared of me...the other side of me."

Flora looked concern. "Did you ever hurt a Villager?"

"No. I remember going to the lake to collect some water. I thought I would be there and back to my home before the full moon rose, but I blanked out on my trip back. I woke up later in a metal cell with claw marks and indents all over the walls. I found myself locked inside the jail cell of Darkstone Village. I managed to escape the village without anyone noticing my leave, but since then I've increased my security."

"And that explains the bars on the windows." Musa said.

"Right...I had that set up the month before I met Flora and her friends. The bars are to prevent me from leaving and the wooden blinds prevent me from being exposed to the moon. I don't want to risk hurting anyone."

Flora gave Karel a warm smile, "Don't worry; we will try our best to cure you."

After an hour of walking, he motioned the team to stop. "We are entering the wolves' territory." He whispered. He then pointed down at several paw prints and tree lesions crossing their direction. "Everything we say must remain within a whisper. Do not, I repeat, do not enter a cave within these parts. When you meet one stay still and if you are chased run downhill and keep running."

His words sent a chill down Musa's spine, "This seems way dangerous..."

Brandon gripped the handle of his sword. "Guys, are you ready?"

Karel motioned the team again to walk forward. They continue walking, but this time taking slower and more precise steps. The land became steeper as they kept on moving forward. It did not take long to see the first signs of the lunar rose; loose shimmering rose pedals scattered the ground. Flora picked up the shreds, "Wow, I can't wait to see a field of these roses."

"Let's hurry and find them." Stella said. "The sooner, the better!" Everyone glared at Stella. She jumped. "Sorry..." She whispered.

"Never mind..." Karel said. "We still a while to go."

The fragments of rose pedals increased until the group reached a clearing with a bowl-shaped hole; inside were many lunar roses in the process of blooming. Unfortunately a level ahead of the area held a cave with a large pack of wolves. Karel immediately stopped the group. "Ahead of us are a pack of wolves. If we get too close, they can track our scent and hunt us down."

Timmy checked the grid system of his PDA. "It's a lot of them alright," he said as he shown the group the red dots that indicated the predators in that area. "This isn't good..."

"Where are they?" Karel pointed the direction of the wolves' habitat to Bloom. "I got an idea." She opened her right hand, and then closed her pinky, ring and middle finger on it for her hand to resemble a projectile. She held it to up pointing at the clearing then repositioned it away to the sky. A small budding light emitted from Bloom's index finger. "Fire Arrow," she said as she launched the fire bolt so bright. It shot up in the sky, slowly landing until it combust in a firework of energy.

"Why did you do that?" Karel questioned.

The wolves on the ledge noticed the red flare and fireworks. They got up instantly and follow the direction the energy sparked. "Diversion," Bloom said to Karel. "Let's hurry and get the roses before they come back.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note:_ _I had to admit, this was one of the most stressful chapters for this fanfic! I'm so glad that this is finally finished and I do hope you guys see why this chapter took some time to plan. After some thought, I found something very interesting that I didn't see when I started. Enough with my jargon, I hope I did you guys' justice for the long wait and Chapter 5 will be coming soon after this. Thanks to SharpieMassacre for her advice. Enjoy_!

* * *

Timmy checked the radar on his scanner. There was a momentary pause before the results were updated. "No sign of the predators… I think it's safe to go." The team hurried over to the hole carrying the mass array of perfectly kept and not yet blossomed lunar roses.

"Wow it's so beautiful." Stella's admiration for the flower caused her to reach for one. When she got pinned by the flower's thorns, she backed her hand away and fanned it in the air. "Ow!" She yelped.

"I wonder how these roses are made." Musa questioned.

"The woodlands use to carry streams that linked to Crystal Lake." Karel began. "It could have been possible that once the puddles dried, the soil absorbed the moonlight so anything that grows on top of it blossoms shimmering white."

Flora browsed through the ingredients pages of the text. "Guys, we need at least four baskets full of these roses."

Aisha produced four medium sided pink Morphix baskets. "Are these the right sizes?"

Flora gave her a thumb's up before they got down to picking up the white flowers, carefully cutting them by the lower stem and being more careful not to get hurt from the thorns. After the retrieval of the roses was over and baskets were filled, Flora sighed. "I think we're done. Let's leave and we'll get the potion and spell ready for tomorrow night."

"More like tonight," Timmy checked his scanner, "It's minutes to three."

"Then let's hurry back and get some rest." Bloom commented with a yawn trailing her voice.

On the walk back Musa gave a lengthy yawn while Bloom tried to keep her cyan eyes open. Aisha stretched her arms and legs, trying to shake off the brewing sleep creeping on her limbs while Stella's eyes were barely open as she bumped and tripped through rocks, trees and holes. It was Brandon and Timmy, who were accustomed of staying up for longer periods of time because of their survival training, and Karel that were fully awake along with Flora. The rest of the team was sprinkled by the Sandman's sleep dust.

As Stella's lids began to shut on her golden eyes, her face smacked into an Oak. The encounter left a reddish imprint of the bark on her face. "Ow..."

"Stella, you have to stay up."

Stella yawned. "...sorry, Brandon. I'm just so tired... I can barely keep my eyes up..."

"Crystal lake isn't very far from here," Karel said. "We can spend a couple of minutes there to wash the sleep off, then head back to the cabin." The team agreed to take a brief detour to the lake. Within minutes the body of water was seen from their position. "It's not too far ahead."

A deep howl echoed. The sound temporarily snapped Bloom, Musa, Aisha and Stella from their doze. Timmy checked his scanner, examining the green grid screen for the position of any predators. "It's a pack of wolves and they're really close." Timmy saw two more objects in blue instead of red. "The five of them are closing in on these two. My scanner indicates that they aren't dangerous."

Screams and drops of buckets were heard as the howling seized and underlying growls and brief barks took its place. "It sounds like they're after someone." Aisha mentioned.

"Let's go guys!" Bloom had begun her run to the endangered people when Flora grabbed her shoulder. "Flora, we have to save them."

"I know, but we'll risk getting killed if we transform there." Flora took the Morphix basket from Bloom and Aisha. "You guys should help them. I'll stay here with Karel and the guys."

Bloom nodded and with Musa, Stella and Aisha, got into her transformation stance. With the crossing of their arms and index and middle fingers on both hands opened, Harmonix energy developed around the fairies. "Magix Winx," the four yelled in unison. "Harmonix!"*

Five wolves surrounded the frighten men by the edge of the lake. The prey laid helpless on the ground with no tools, not even a sturdy branch to defend themselves from the apex-predators of the woodlands. One of the wolves leaped for the smaller of the two men. Before the smaller man could think of crossing his arms to feebly block the wolf's attack, a red beam of bright red energy scythes thrashed at the wolf's torso, knocking the animal to the ground. The two men and the wolves looked up to see four fairies in a fairy form constructed of a seaweed like fabric and shimmering fin like wings above them. "Girls, we need to protect the men without seriously hurting the wolves!" The Red-headed fairy spoke.

Stella warped yellow crescent-shaped energy bolts. _"Sun Boomerang!" _She shouted as she threw two shining boomerangs at the predators and hitting two of the four left standing.

_"Thirteen's seal!"_ A magenta mass of energy from the crossing of Aisha's forearms released an X-shaped attack to one of the two remaining wolves. Another hit from Bloom's fire arrow knocked the last wolf to the side, separating the wolves from the men. "It's your turn, Musa."

The Music Fairy flew down to the pile up of wolves while a transparent orb between her hands created a U-shaped pipe organ. Musa landed by the wolves and held up her device, _"Diapason!"_ A low-frequency sound attack shot at the animals. The five quivered and within seconds, the pack left into the woods. The fairies landed as Flora, Karel, Timmy and Brandon appeared from the woods.

Bloom reached over to the smaller man and helped him up. "What are you guys doing out here? It's dangerous for you to be out here with no weapons."

"We...we just came to get some water..." The smaller man grabbed the tin buckets from the ground. As held the buckets, his shaking arms caused the tin buckets to clank with there handles.

The other man nodded. He explained that the wolves did not come around the lake during this moon, but it was careless of them not to carry any weapons and thanked the fairies for rescuing them. Bloom waved her hands, telling them that there was no need for the gratitude. A brief thought made her believe that her diversion from before brought the wolves to the men.

Karel walked over to the men with his axe in hand. "Here," he gave the less shaken man his axe. "You will need this more than I would."

Bloom charmed the weapon and gave it more protection before team departed ways with the two men.

* * *

Meanwhile, Icy splashed over the image of the events. The images of the Winx, some of the Specialists and some guy faded into the waves of the body of water.

"Okay Icy," Darcy got up. "I'm passed the brink of boredom. Why should we wait any longer? Let's do something."

Stormy agreed with Darcy's suggestion. It got way too boring to watch the Winx pick ugly roses and she was not in the mood for sautéing more bugs after the white butterfly got away.

Icy glared at the Dark Witch, agreeing with her ideas. Icy opened up another image and behind that one was the face of her admirer, "oh Tirtannus..." Icy swooned. She had to get permission from her boyfriend first.

"Yes, my Ice Witch?" The villain responded. Darcy falsely gagged.

"I wanna get my revenge on the Winx and what better time to do it than now? I mean, they're out trying to cure some loser from his curse and probably if we stop it, it will set the Winx back from them taking their Sirenix whatever-quest." Darcy and Stormy looked at each other, stunned that their sister had the idea on her mind thought her infatuation over their slimy boss prevented her from attacking the Winx from the beginning of their quest. Icy blinked slowly, giving Tirtannus a push into her suggestions. "All we need is another small power boost!"

Tirtannus smirked. "Oh Icy!" Stormy rolled her eyes as the mermonster shot up a helping of green and purple energy at the three witches. "Make me proud!"

"I will." Icy said, feeling the grip of the power boost.

* * *

Flora, Bloom, Stella, Brandon, Timmy, Aisha, Musa and Karel arrived back to the cabin grounds by dawn. Stella did not waste any time to roll out her sleeping bag and laid in the soft green grass, not even worried about getting her hair dirty. Aisha laid beside the blonde as they both laughed-mentally related to their bodies in need of rest. Bloom and Musa were still up along with Brandon and Timmy. The group reached Tecna was outside the cabin, typing away on her PDA with delight on her face. Timmy glanced over at his girlfriend. "I thought you wanted us to be more _environmentally adept_?"

Tecna smiled, warming up her teckie companion. "I did-then again, I'm not the 'Fairy of Technology' without _technology_."

Flora smiled at Tecna's response and after Timmy's leave she spoke to Tecna. "So you're off the low-tech plan."

"It was stupid of me to act that way and not tell Timmy what I was going through. Helia advised me to talk to Timmy about my problems. I will, but for now my 'prescription' requires an hour on my PDA."

"Are Riven and Helia in the cabin?"

"Nope. They when out to pick up some supplies. They'll be back shortly."

Flora entered the cabin. She noticed the potion set up on the table along with two carry-ons. She placed the baskets of lunar roses on the table, unaware of the knapsack on the edge until it collapsed; contents scattered on the wooden floors and a black sketchbook slid from the bag, opening up as it fell to the floor. Flora replaced the contents in the bag and reached for book when something-the image of someone caught her eye. She flipped through the book, scanning the crafted images of the person on the pages. Her eyes widen as each page lead to another facial expression, to another pose and to another emotion behind the figure of the page.

The Nature fairy paused; her instincts were telling her something that her mind wanted to process first before she jumped into conclusions. There were drawings of her along with birds and landscapes, but these specific images stood out, something about how they were shaded and colored trapped Flora in a state of pastel Pantone wonder. She browsed through more of her boyfriend's drawings; a small smile appeared as she immersed herself into more of the color scheme in his book. From that she concluded, they were only what they were: drawings and if anything that Helia's art skills were improving. He had a few poems that she eyed through until she reached to the end of the book, the black cover had a grey facing and on that facing a last poem. Unlike the others with eraser markings due to his editing for him not being the best speller, this one was clean of graphite marks and in fact the friction between the paper and the facing didn't fade and push the graphite of the poem.

_Binding magic of the white heart that _

_seals the desires of the burning mind._

The poem's beginning was stunning. Flora wanted to continue but Helia's sketchbook was like a journal, a secret that he _might_ share with her and not with spying eyes and no permission. This sort of intrusion would piss him off and she respected his privacy. She closed the black book, but soon reopened it, saying to herself that she already browsed through most of it and why not finish—she would just keep it to herself and be surprised when Helia would show it to her later.

_Rising love or_

_the temptations of the body_

_should pull away teh soul of a man,_

_barek it in half and _

_revert the pieces to before._

He had noticeable spelling mistakes.

_Or will the half be something new_

_something true…_

_or will the before haunt the after._

This poem was darker that his others. This poem also did not rhyme like the one's on the pages for his sketchbook.

_The crystal falls became my home, but the florescent gardens are my dwelling_

_It sheltered me from myself_

_battled the demons, demands and diamonds of my corrupt yearning._

_To love the past or stay with the present:_

_rip apart a love for a friendship,_

_destroy the certain for the dream. _

Something was odd.

_Fighting the longing with the claymore of honour_

…_but…my resistance runs weak…_

_My love for you burns to my soul_

_To the point that confession would be too late repair me back to the warrior_

…_back to the man…_

…_back to a person…_

…_back to normal…_

_Letting desire became the easy way out._

* * *

*: I've read in the Moonlight issue that using magic in the forest doesn't always work as it should. I will mention this within a future chapter along with this one. Bloom, Aisha, Musa and Stella seem to used their magic pretty well during the attack against the wolves

Hint, Hint!: In page seven of "Moonlight," You can see Stormy and Darcy possibly talking or receiving something from Professor Wizgiz and Vice Principal Griselda to the left of the Winx and Headmistress Faragonda! So they ditched Icy to be fairies at Alfea?! I wonder if there's an opening for the Trix group!


	5. Chapter 5

Helia and Riven returned to the cabin grounds. From Aisha and Stella sleeping on the grass, the two Specialists assumed that the mission was a success. The two passed the chatting Musa and Bloom, the handy-working Timmy and Brandon and the PDA-savvy Tecna to the cabin. When they entered they noticed Flora; her back turned from the entrance and her hands rested on the wooden table. Riven scanned the Nature Fairy's face as he placed the items on the already packed table. Flora looked down at Helia's black sketchbook with narrowed eyes and bite to her lower lip.

Helia dropped the buckets of supplies on the hardwood floors. "I think we are finished." The blue haired specialist said with a smile. Flora did not respond-rather she did not move from her stance. "Flora, are you feeling alright? Did something happen."

Something did happen. The images of the royal princess of Linphea raced through her memories of Helia. His confession of longing love to the princess stamped within her memories: from their first kiss to their first date, all she saw in her memories over Helia's shoulders was Krystal. Krystal. _Krystal._

"I have to make a trip to Darkstone Village...with Timmy..." Riven told Helia. "I think I forgot we need the quicksilver for the potion. There wasn't any in the knapsacks."*

The blue-haired Specialist opted to aid Riven, but the young man did not give Helia anytime to react and Riven left. "We have all the ingredients ready...well except for the quicksilver." Helia gave a slight chuckled for Riven's leave.

"...Krystal..."

"What did you said, Flora?"

"Krystal!" She yelled. Her posture broke, her focus now on Helia with his sketchbook in her grasp. "Helia, why do you have drawings of Krystal all over your sketchbook...?"

Instead of shock she thought her boyfriend would give, his eyes narrowed, eyebrows arched and his smile reduced to a straight line. "Flora, you when through my stuff…"

Flora retorted. "You left your bag open and it fell out."

"Flora, they are just drawings. There's nothing more to them"

"_Binding magic of the white heart that seals the desires of the burning mind," _the Nature Fairy began to recite the poem. "What is that then?"

Helia's eyes widen at Flora question. Flora was enraged. Her boyfriend for over two years with drawings of his childhood friend-or more accurately "sweetie"- in the pages of his sketchbook in different color Medias from pencil to pen and a handful dazzling in soft wax color pencil. Who knew how many more drawings of Krystal he had in oil, watercolor, acrylic or in a vivid spray paint mural with a gently crafted heart and on the side, a misspelled crappy poem referring to a brewing infidelity between the sweetheart couple and the desire to get next to another piece of Linphean ass.

She continued. _"Rising love or the temptations of the body should pull away the soul of a man, break it in half and revert the leftover pieces to the before!" _

Pause.

She wanted him to say something, anything for what Tecna would describe as logical for his defense. "Helia...Helia, answer me!"

Silence.

Helia threw his hands up and drew himself close to his girlfriend, but still far from Flora's touch, "Flora..."

"I need an answer...What does this poem mean...? Why...why are you not giving me answer...?"

More silence.

"A-Are you _in love _with Krystal?"

"No Flora, that's not it! I haven't seen her in years. I just...I wanted..." Never before had the Specialist's heart beat so fast; soon the panic organ might escape his chest and high-tail from the tension within the cabin with Riven. "Flora, I love you."

His confession of love did not help Flora's feeling over present, solid and reasonable evidence: not much the drawings but the poem. "_The CRYSTAL falls became my home, but the FLORESCENT gardens are my dwelling! It sheltered me from myself battled the demons, demands and diamonds of my corrupt yearning!?_"

Helia remained silent as Flora hammered the line that questioned his faith in their relationship. Helia lowered his head.

"Helia," The Nature Fairy eased, "What is going on between you and Krystal? Do you really like her...?"

Helia's eyes closed. "...I don't know...Krystal is a really good friend of mind...She introduced me to art as a way to- well... she helped me out over the years and we didn't keep in touch since I started Red Fountain."

The way he wrote about his emotions, the way how he drew the princess with a glimmer within her eye were all with compassion that the Nature Fairy loved, but she disliked how this became. Flora loved Helia and he was the only guy she thought about but from Helia's tone and posture that Flora was not the only girl on his mind: Krystal was as well.

"Flora, I don't know. I-I care about Krystal...a lot-and I love you..."

Her throat dried. She strode pass Helia and left the cabin. The specialist followed behind.

"He-Helia stop...!"

The commotion woke up the slumbering fairies and alerted Bloom, Musa and Tecna. Even Karel and Brandon were surprised at the couple arguing as the seven watched the feud. Helia reached for Flora's arm, but she shook off his hold. A few short pleas from Helia later, the young man held on to his girlfriend and rotated her body to face him, makeup running and eyes watered. "Flora please, I do not love Krystal!"

Stella eyes widen as she and Aisha looked at each other. Tecna dropped her PDA while Musa's mouth hung open and Bloom whispered Krystal's name in confusion.

"Helia...we're done."

He knew the consequences for his actions, destroying "a certain for a dream." He knew that his actions were hard to forgive. As he stared into the emerald of her eyes, the tears piled the surface of her lower lids and streams began to pour down to her chin. It was for the best, it was for now and as Helia slowly let go of his ex, he knew that their relationship was over.

* * *

The second night of the Winx and Specialists stay at Karel's cabin arrived and with more stressed silence than hopeful cheer for the groups. The Winx helped out Flora with the incantation by getting the field ready and carefully mixing the earlier ingredients from their carry-ons before they mixed the quicksilver and lunar roses together in the pink vat. Aisha, using her Wave powers, slowly mixed the contents while Bloom kept a steady blue fire and occasionally switching from hand to hand to remove the oncoming dead feeling if she only used one. Stella and Tecna picked off the pedals of the lunar roses while Musa cultivated them and mixed them with the vat. Flora looked over The Moonlit Revise and directed the girls to their duties while the Specialists stood and watched the six fairies develop the miracle spell after they helped Flora to create the incantation circle.

Timmy, Brandon and Riven stood in silence and a few awkward whistles as they eyed Helia. His arms were crossed as he peaked at Flora then to other directions so she would not catch his stare. The Specialists were also in view of Karel from inside the cabin.

"Okay," Stella pulled out the pedals off the last lunar rose and placed the stems in a separate pile. "Done with the roses!"

"And I'm done with the vat." Musa grabbed the last of the pedals and put them into the heated mixing vat.

Flora smiled. "Where's Karel? He should be out by now."

"I saw him last in the cabin." Tecna answered.

Karel paced along the floorboards with his arms crossed, then with his arms to his sides, then with his hands pushing his wispy hair back and then finally back to his arms crossed when Flora reached him in the cabin. He wore a different shirt, a lavender garb with the sleeves rolled up. He didn't have his vest on, but he had on his green jeans and brown boots.

"Karel, we are ready."

He looked up at the Nature Fairy's smiling face. Outside could lead to his future, the end of his curse and the start of his life without the fear of the Full moon. Flora reassured his nervousness and he gave a weary smile.

"I don't know how to thank you, Flora. You and the rest of your friends. I-I still have my doubts... but I do want this to work, Flora."

"Sometimes it only takes belief to break the spell that you're under." She clasped on to Karel's hand. Her soft caramel colored hand wisped his rough work-worn pale hand. "I'm helping a good friend, just like you helped me from before." She held on to his right hand, pulled him close and planted a kiss on his forehead for good luck.

"Flora…?" It was odd… informal… and if he could question inappropriate for the time. Before he could ask, she led him out of the cabin.

Karel followed Flora's lead. Flora let go and poured the second to last ingredient, the pre-measured amount of quicksilver, into the vat changing the contents from white to silver. Bloom stopped the fire and Aisha seized her mixing. Finally Stella, Tecna and Musa threw the stems into the vat, strengthen the potency of the potion and causing the vat to solidify and turn into shining silver dust. Flora led the woodcutter to the center of the circle. She took some of the dust to write letters on the grass inside the incantation. When she finished, she dusted the residue on her clothing.

The Winx circled around the incantation.

"Alright," Flora began, "We have to converge our powers together to activate the dust, then the rest is up to the incantation."

The fairies nodded and proceeded with the convergence. They each stood by one of the six signs Flora drew and held each other's hands. As the pink energy from the six fairies surged, the silver dust lid up in yellow and the glow reached up like a cage to surround Karel. Through the magic interaction, Bloom opened one of her eyes and saw the effectiveness of the spell: a white wolf shaped aura making its way out of Karel's frame. "It's working." She whispered.

No sooner from Bloom words, a dark-purple sphere collided with the center of the field, breaking the concentration of the Winx and scattering the fairies. The vibration of the spell pushed the Specialists to the ground while Karel remained standing. The Winx looked up to the direction of the hit and from above three female figures snickering and laughing.

"Sisters, look at the pixies helping their mutt friend!" Icy grimaced. She flew over to the woodcutter, the barrier still intact and the wolf shaped aura still visible. The Ice Witch threw a bluish-white energy sphere with green and black highlights at the young man. He fell out the incantation circle and slid on the grass. The looked up at the witches with his stomach clutched, finding joy in the mountain man's injury.

The barrier light dimmed, then when out, each turned to a green and black sewage. The dust decomposed into a heavy liquid and oozed on the grass, browning the grass on top of it. The aura released into the field, circling around Karel before it forced its way back into his body.

Karel clenched his stomach further and rotated to his left side. His heart began to beat hard and fast, his vision askew and distorted and nausea overcame the pain from Icy's hit. He looked on at his hands in horror, fingers elongated as muddy brown fur spread throughout his frame. His clothing to rip in shreds as bones cracked and his muscles expanded. His face stretched and contorted, fleeting the human features from Karel's face as his feet cracked, expanded and morphed into paws standing up from the balls of his feet.

Flora looked up a Karel now malformed into the wolf-man hybrid she wanted him to break from. The Lycanthrope released a bowling howl, signaling the upcoming danger surrounding the Winx, Trix and the Specialists.

* * *

*: This one may not be as necessary, but I did have to question about the distances between Crystal Lake, Karel's cabin and Darkstone Village. From what I read, the distance between Darkstone to Karel's cabin took about several hours since by the time Sky, Bloom, Timmy and Tecna reached there it was sunset. However, the major storm would have stretched the duration of the trip and the four could have met up at Karel's cabin before sunset if the storm didn't happen. Riven and Timmy's travel to Darkstone could have taken about 2 hours without the presence of the storm. I reread the part about the terrain and Sky mentioned that the weather changes a lot during in the woodlands (or wherever they were.)


End file.
